Tag: peace

Ariel

A light shines across the centuries,

 a single thread, weaves a tapestry.

G-d reckons the accounts of all souls,

balancing justice and judgment

with compassion and mercy.

—– —– —– —–

All are known to Him;

for, if each and every one

of the myriad of stars in the universe

is given a name, then how much moreso

is every soul on earth valued

in the eyes of the Creator?

—– —– —– —– —–

Despite assimilation

in a world gone awry,

our lives may be rebuilt

upon the ashes of the past.

Our souls may be redeemed,

by He whose arms are wide open

to receive us into His Sanctuary.

—– —– —– —–

For He is our refuge in times of darkness.

Israel has continuously cried out to Him,

even from the smoldering ruins of the Shoah.

And he will bear us upon the wings of angels,

for all the days of eternity.

in the wake of recent terror attacks:

pray for the peace of Jerusalem

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Our Brethren

“There shall no evil come to thee: nor shall the scourge come near thy dwelling.” – Psalm 91:10

No longer driven this way and that,

because we are given the blessing of adaptability

in times of war, when all appears lost.

And, in times of peace as well,

in our homes, and when all alone,

to remember our brethren and kin,

when we have no one to tell

our troubles to except for G-d.

The memories of ashes, everywhere,

like dust in the currents of wind,

that shift across the ages.

Yet, renewal is at hand,

across this war-torn land,

when we turn to the One above,

Who can reconcile our lives to Himself,

and absolve our sins of indifference

to both G-d and mankind.

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In Sympatico

Oh L-rd,

only wisdom,

bright as your countenance,

will shed light on my wayward path,

tonight.

Tonight,

every night…

during the days of gloom,

when there is no room for this hope

to bloom.

To bloom,

like a flower,

transplanted from soil,

depleted by war’s cruelty,

and dearth.

And dearth,

leaves us scant food,

unable to nourish

our souls with everlasting hope,

and dreams.

And dreams,

vanish in sync

with the early morning

air raids, that signal a new day,

oh L-rd.

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dverse prompt

Our Hope

Ribon HaOlamim,

Master of the Worlds,

look down upon your children,

and hear our plea, for the sake of peace,

amongst Your diverse Creation.

You are One, and Your Name is One:

yet, not until the Day of Reckoning,

will this be realized in our hearts.

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

In hope, in fulfillment of all

that is promised to Your people,

we cast our eyes above, towards You,

in recognition of Your awesome holiness,

and in acknowledgment of our

human weaknesses and pettiness.

Bestow Your light upon us,

and hearken to our prayers.

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The Way of Hope

Take note of my story, for future generations dear reader. Take heart at the uplifting tale that I will bring to your ears. For over the years, my words will fade into oblivion, as the boots march onward into history, trampling upon all that came before the inversion of truth. Woe unto them that call darkness light, and light darkness; blessed are they who seek restoration.

I wandered lonely as a cloud, my footsteps tracing upon the earth, what would otherwise have been the shadow of the cloud following me overhead. Across the generations, my people have endured, beyond the pale of jurisdiction, what may seem impossible to endure. The Source of our strength sustains us, beyond what we are able to sustain on our own. Only by divine decree, have we continued to flourish across the centuries, despite the intentions of our enemies.

© 2022 all rights reserved

dVerse prompt

In Prayerful Solidarity

“In thee, O L-RD, have I taken refuge; let me never be ashamed; deliver me in Thy righteousness. Incline Thine ear unto me, deliver me speedily; be Thou to me a rock of refuge, even a fortress of defence, to save me. For Thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for Thy name’s sake lead me and guide me. Bring me forth out of the net that they have hidden for me; for Thou art my stronghold. Into Thy hand I commit my spirit; Thou hast redeemed me, O L-RD, Thou G-d of truth. I hate them that regard lying vanities; but I trust in the L-RD. I will be glad and rejoice in Thy lovingkindness; for Thou hast seen mine affliction, Thou hast taken cognizance of the troubles of my soul, And Thou hast not given me over into the hand of the enemy; Thou hast set my feet in a broad place. Be gracious unto me, O L-RD, for I am in distress; mine eye wasteth away with vexation, yea, my soul and my body. For my life is spent in sorrow, and my years in sighing; my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are wasted away. Because of all mine adversaries I am become a reproach, yea, unto my neighbours exceedingly, and a dread to mine acquaintance; they that see me without flee from me. I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind; I am like a useless vessel. For I have heard the whispering of many, terror on every side; while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life. But as for me, I have trusted in Thee, O L-RD; I have said: ‘Thou art my G-d.’ My times are in Thy hand; deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. Make Thy face to shine upon Thy servant; save me in Thy lovingkindness. O L-RD, let me not be ashamed, for I have called upon Thee; let the wicked be ashamed, let them be put to silence in the nether-world. Let the lying lips be dumb, which speak arrogantly against the righteous, with pride and contempt. Oh how abundant is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee; which Thou hast wrought for them that take their refuge in Thee, in the sight of the sons of men! Thou hidest them in the covert of Thy presence from the plottings of man; Thou concealest them in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. Blessed be the L-RD; for He hath shown me His wondrous lovingkindness in an entrenched city. As for me, I said in my haste: ‘I am cut off from before Thine eyes’; nevertheless Thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto Thee. O love the L-RD, all ye His godly ones; The L-RD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully repayeth him that acteth haughtily. Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all ye that wait for the L-RD.” – Psalm 31, JPS 1917 Tanach

Seeking Solace

“As we step forward, they attempt to surround us; they intend to spread out across the country.” – Psalms 17:11

May the right arm of Your majesty, in all its effectiveness, assure victory for us over the challenges that we face each and every day of our lives. During this time of peril, whether starting our lives over elsewhere, or trying to remain hopeful in the midst of uncertainty, as we hunker down below the city streets, let us see the light of dawn breaking through our sorrows.

The prayers of the faithful will be sent to shomayim upon the wings of angels. We send even our most seemingly trivial concerns to Heaven; for, it is the small details of our lives, and the relatively inconsequential choices of our lives that appear to matter most at times. Once the important decisions have been made, the smaller ones appear in clear relief.

Like a picture-perfect day, not a cloud in the sky, may the realization of our dreams exceed our expectations. May our cities be rebuilt, and our lives resume, only stronger for having been through these traumatic experiences, and overall devastation that has pummeled our cities. May we live to see the day when the seeds planted across the nation will bloom into tall sunflowers, always facing the light.

Note (FYI and Disclaimer): This a dramatic monologue. A dramatic monologue gives voice to those whom the poet chooses to give expression through the poem. Although I am a poet, and not a Ukrainian, I feel an affinity with the Ukrainian people, especially my Jewish brethren. Additionally, this is also a prose poem, and not a typical poem that has verses, stanzas or rhymes.

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Seeking Refuge

Despite the explosions nearby,

they daven as usual at shul;

a staunch commitment to the Almighty,

in the face of adversity and ruin.

—– —– —– —–

And, the presence of the Shechinah,

who shelters all who seek refuge under her wings;

will guarantee protection to those on the bimah,

and amongst the congregation otherwise serene.

—– —– —–

For, neither war, nor the chaos that might ensue,

will damage the spirit of the truly pious;

sending our hopes Above, into the azure blue,

our heartfelt prayers to Whom we trust.

—– —– —–

Nothing will shake the faith of the soul,

who aspires to dream beyond what appears bleak;

everything is possible, as silence reveals the toll,

of redemption, soon at hand for the meek.

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